Full-Service vs Leasing-Only Property Management

CompareFacts checked November 8, 2026Reviewed by Gary E. Wilson, President and Designated Broker

Where the two services split

Both services usually start the same way: pricing the rent, marketing the home, showings, screening applicants, preparing the lease and handling move-in. Wilson Management's tenant placement page describes placement as covering exactly those steps, and says placement-only "ends once your new tenant takes possession."

Full-service management keeps going after that. The same page describes it as continuous, with rent collection, maintenance, tenant communication and lease renewals handled throughout the tenancy. For the full list of what an ongoing manager does, see what a property manager does.

So the decision is not really about leasing. It is about the months and years after the keys change hands.

Either way, the leasing work itself is licensed. Leasing or renting real estate for another person for pay is real estate brokerage under RCW 18.85.011, so a paid placement service should be a licensed real estate firm. The guide on how Washington regulates property managers explains what that license means for you.

The jobs that start after move-in

Once a tenant is in, Washington law gives the landlord a steady list of duties. With full-service management, a typical agreement hands most of them to the manager. With leasing-only, they are yours. They include:

• Repairs and upkeep. RCW 59.18.060 requires the landlord to keep the home fit to live in, keep structural parts in reasonably good repair, and keep the electrical, plumbing, heating and appliances the landlord supplies in reasonably good working order.
• Rent and follow-up. Someone has to collect rent, track late payments and decide when a formal notice is needed.
• Landlord contact details. The tenant must be told, in the rental agreement or a posted notice, the name and address of the landlord, and any change must be given in writing.
• An in-county agent if you live out of state. Under the same section, an owner who lives outside Washington must also name someone who lives in the county to receive notices and legal papers.
• Inspections. Most full-service managers check on the home during the tenancy. Wilson's Owner FAQ lists move-in, move-out and periodic inspections of occupied units. With leasing-only, any check-ins are up to you.
• Move-out accounting. Under RCW 59.18.280, within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant leaves, the landlord must give a full and specific statement of any deposit withheld, with supporting estimates or invoices, plus any refund due.

Who holds the deposit

The deposit is where the two services differ most on paper. Under RCW 59.18.260, a landlord can collect a deposit only with a written rental agreement and a written move-in checklist describing the home's condition. Under RCW 59.18.270, the deposit must go into a trust account at a financial institution or licensed escrow agent in Washington, and the tenant gets a written receipt and written notice of where it is held.

With full-service management, a licensed firm usually holds the deposit in its trust account. For property a firm manages, WAC 308-124E-115 says the deposit cannot be paid out to the owner or anyone else before the tenancy ends without the tenant's written agreement.

With leasing-only, settle the deposit in writing before move-in. If the firm collects it and passes it to you, you then hold it as RCW 59.18.270 requires, and the tenant should get written notice of your depository. The law also says that if the landlord role changes hands during a tenancy, the deposit moves to the new landlord's trust account and the tenant must be told.

Who serves notices and handles problems

Washington's landlord-tenant law defines "landlord" broadly. Under RCW 59.18.030, it includes the owner and any person designated as the owner's representative, such as an agent or a designated property manager. With full service, the manager usually prepares and serves notices under the authority in your agreement. With leasing-only, that work comes back to you once the placement ends.

Notices have to follow the forms and timelines in state law, so whoever serves them needs to keep up with the current rules. The site's Washington eviction process page covers the steps. Either way, you keep a say: Wilson's Owner FAQ states that owners can still have a say in decisions and are informed before damage repairs begin.

Questions to settle in writing either way

Whichever service you choose, a short list of questions prevents most surprises. A careful licensed manager will answer each one in the agreement:

• Exactly which tasks end at move-in, and which continue.
• Who completes and keeps the signed move-in checklist and photos.
• Who holds the deposit, in which trust account, and who sends the tenant the depository notice.
• Who the tenant calls for repairs and emergencies, starting on day one.
• Whether you can move from placement to full service later, and how. Wilson's placement page says owners can start with placement and step up to full management.

Which one fits you

Wilson's placement page suggests leasing-only suits owners who live nearby, have time, and are comfortable handling rent, maintenance calls and tenant communication. Full service suits owners who live out of the area, travel, own several rentals, or would rather not take late-night calls. The self-managing vs hiring a property manager post lays out that trade-off in more depth, and the single-family property management page shows what ongoing service covers for a rental house.

Some owners mix the two over time: placement now and full service later, or full service while they are away and self-management when they return. If you go that route, the hand-off points matter most: the deposit, the move-in checklist, and the tenant's written notice of who the landlord is. The management agreement guide lists the clauses to check before you sign.